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here as probable, or as coincident with my own opinion. My design, so far, has no reference to the facts of the
case. I wish merely to caution you against the whole tone of L'Etoile's suggestion, by calling your attention to
its ex parte character at the outset.

"Having prescribed thus a limit to suit its own preconceived notions; having assumed that, if this were the
body of Marie, it could have been in the water but a very brief time; the journal goes on to say:

'All experience has shown that drowned bodies, or bodies thrown into the water immediately after death by
violence, require from six to ten days for sufficient decomposition to take place to bring them to the top of the
water. Even when a cannon is fired over a corpse, and it rises before at least five or six days' immersion, it
sinks again if let alone.'

"These assertions have been tacitly received by every paper in Paris, with the exception of Le Moniteur.
{*15} This latter print endeavors to combat that portion of the paragraph which has reference to 'drowned
bodies' only, by citing some five or six instances in which the bodies of individuals known to be drowned
were found floating after the lapse of less time than is insisted upon by L'Etoile. But there is something
excessively unphilosophical in the attempt on the part of Le Moniteur, to rebut the general assertion of
L'Etoile, by a citation of particular instances militating against that assertion. Had it been possible to adduce
fifty instead of five examples of bodies found floating at the end of two or three days, these fifty examples
could still have been properly regarded only as exceptions to L'Etoile's rule, until such time as the rule itself
should be confuted. Admitting the rule, (and this Le Moniteur does not deny, insisting merely upon its
exceptions,) the argument of L'Etoile is suffered to remain in full force; for this argument does not pretend to
involve more than a question of the probability of the body having risen to the surface in less than three days;
and this probability will be in favor of L'Etoile's position until the instances so childishly adduced shall be
sufficient in number to establish an antagonistical rule.

"You will see at once that all argument upon this head should be urged, if at all, against the rule itself; and for
this end we must examine the rationale of the rule. Now the human body, in general, is neither much lighter
nor much heavier than the water of the Seine; that is to say, the specific gravity of the human body, in its
natural condition, is about equal to the bulk of fresh water which it displaces. The bodies of fat and fleshy
persons, with small bones, and of women generally, are lighter than those of the lean and large-boned, and of
men; and the specific gravity of the water of a river is somewhat influenced by the presence of the tide from
sea. But, leaving this tide out of question, it may be said that very few human bodies will sink at all, even in
fresh water, of their own accord. Almost any one, falling into a river, will be enabled to float, if he suffer the
specific gravity of the water fairly to be adduced in comparison with his own - that is to say, if he suffer his
whole person to be immersed, with as little exception as possible. The proper position for one who cannot
swim, is the upright position of the walker on land, with the head thrown fully back, and immersed; the mouth
and nostrils alone remaining above the surface. Thus circumstanced, we shall find that we float without
difficulty and without exertion. It is evident, however, that the gravities of the body, and of the bulk of water
displaced, are very nicely balanced, and that a trifle will cause either to preponderate. An arm, for instance,
uplifted from the water, and thus deprived of its support, is an additional weight sufficient to immerse the
whole head, while the accidental aid of the smallest piece of timber will enable us to elevate the head so as to
look about. Now, in the struggles of one unused to swimming, the arms are invariably thrown upwards, while
an attempt is made to keep the head in its usual perpendicular position. The result is the immersion of the
mouth and nostrils, and the inception, during efforts to breathe while beneath the surface, of water into the
lungs. Much is also received into the stomach, and the whole body becomes heavier by the difference between
the weight of the air originally distending these cavities, and that of the fluid which now fills them. This
difference is sufficient to cause the body to sink, as a general rule; but is insufficient in the cases of
individuals with small bones and an abnormal quantity of flaccid or fatty matter. Such individuals float even
after drowning.

"The corpse, being. supposed at the bottom of the river, will there remain until, by some means, its specific